The Daisy Corner is a Philadelphia-based, women-led creative collective founded by producer and mixer Mackenzie Markstein and marketing director Olivia Paranich, longtime collaborators who first met as freshman roommates at the University of the Arts while studying music, business, entrepreneurship, and technology. After graduating in 2023, they transformed years of shared dreaming into a functioning home-studio environment built around color, comfort, and emotional safety, eventually expanding their team to include videographer and visual storyteller Charlie Cooper, whose work completes the collective’s sound-to-image ecosystem. Together, the trio offers artists a cohesive creative experience that spans production, mixing, branding, video, and release strategy — all developed under one roof and grounded in care, collaboration, and a commitment to making the studio feel like home. Known for their intimate “Sad Girl Music Club” sessions and their dedication to uplifting vulnerable, emotionally honest music, The Daisy Corner has become a trusted pocket of the Philly scene, a place where artists are supported, celebrated, and encouraged to grow into their most genuine creative selves.
We step into The Daisy Corner with Mackenzie to learn more about the space, the vision, and the heart behind it.
SNQLX: Take me back to the beginning. How did you two first meet, and when did The Daisy Corner shift from an idea into an actual space?
TDC: Olivia and I met in 2019 as freshman roommates at the University of the Arts. We were both studying music, business, entrepreneurship, and technology, so we naturally started dreaming up creative projects together. By 2022, that turned into the idea of building a business of our own. After graduating in 2023, we finally had the time and space to make it real. We built our website, started promoting ourselves, and that’s when The Daisy Corner really began to gain momentum.
SNQLX: You describe your studio as a “safe and inviting” place in an industry that often isn’t. What were the non-negotiables when building that environment?
TDC: For me, creating a safe and inviting studio started with the atmosphere. I knew I wanted the space to be full of color because vibrant visuals naturally spark creativity. Good mood lighting was another non-negotiable since it helps artists relax and sets the tone for the session. And comfortable chairs were essential. When someone feels physically at ease, it makes it easier for them to be emotionally open too. I wanted every detail to contribute to a space where artists can breathe, experiment, and feel completely at home.
SNQLX: When an artist walks through your door for the first time, what do you hope they feel right away?
Subscribe to continue reading
Subscribe to get access to the rest of this post and other subscriber-only content.
